Samples of blood and other bodily fluids, for example urine, sputum etc., are frequently collected and analyzed to monitor the state of health of a human or other mammal or to identify the presence of an organism. Typically, the sample is collected in one vessel and then transferred to a separate reagent unit where a colour or other visible or non-visible indicator is developed by interaction of the sample with one or more reagents. The reagent unit or part thereof is then discarded, often with at least some of the sample still carried thereon in a state where it can contact the user and/or other parts of the test equipment. Such systems are cumbersome and carry the risk that there will be cross-infection or contamination between samples and the risk of infection of the user from the samples or the discards.
It has therefore been proposed to provide the necessary reagents in a pad upon a disposable carrier strip so that the test is carried out by applying the fluid to the reagent pad, monitoring the pad for the required colour or other change and then disposing of the pad and any remaining sample. This reduces the risk of cross-contamination between samples prior to monitoring the colour or other change in the reagent pad. However, there remains the problem of cross-contamination at the instrument where the response of the reagent is assessed, since the reagent pad and the fluid carried on it are exposed and can be contacted by the user or by exposed parts of the test apparatus.
This can be reduced by providing each patient with their own reagent response assessment unit, but this is impractical where a large number of people are being monitored at a single site, for example in a hospital. Furthermore, many people, notably the blind, infirm or very young, have difficulty in operating such a system, thus requiring that the tests on the samples of their bodily fluids be carried out by a third party. This is inconvenient and reintroduces the risk of cross-contamination, especially where such tests are carried out at a central location to reduce the costs of having to provide individual test units.
We have devised a sample collection and reagent holder system which reduces the above problems. Since the system of the invention does not expose the collected sample, as is the case with current sample reagent test strips and the like, it is possible to monitor the changes in the reagent at a central location with reduced risk of cross-infection. Due to its combined function as a sample collector and reagent holder, the system of the invention readily lends itself to use by the blind, infirm or young.